7 Şubat 2013 Perşembe
Ground Zero Mosque Leader Sued For Diverting Funds
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In 2010, New York City's Iman Feisal Abdul Rauf became well known-- until he was ousted in January 2011-- as the leader of a group that planned to build a mosque and Islamic center near "Ground Zero". (See prior posting.) Now, according to reports by the New York Daily News and Reuters yesterday, Rauf is being sued by a Westchester County couple who donated $167,000 to his Cordoba Initiative and the American Society for Muslim Advancement. The suit, filed in state court in New York, claims that Rauf used these funds, as well as $3 million from the Malaysian government for vacations and gifts for a woman with whom he shared a personal relationship, as well as for real estate, entertainment, and luxury sports car for himself and his wife. The suit also claims Rauf concealed his scheme by falsifying the charitable organizations' tax returns.
Court Dismisses 1 of 3 Suits Challenging Eruv In Long Island Village
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The New York Times reports that a New York federal district court on Monday dismissed one of three lawsuits challenging a proposed eruv that Orthodox Jews in Westhampton Beach plan to put up. The dismissed lawsuit was brought by a group calling itself Jewish People for the Betterment of Westhampton Beach which claimed that permitting the eruv would violate the Establishment Clause. (See prior posting.) Proponents of the eruv, who see opposition as an attempt to keep Orthodox Jews out of the community, have bypassed a formal vote by the Village. Instead the East End Eruv Association entered a direct agreement with Verizon and Long Island Lighting to use their utility poles for the eruv-- a symbolic boundary that allows observant Jews to carry things outside their homes on the Sabbath.
Feds Ease Rules On Taking Religious Items Through Federal Building Security
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According to a news release this week from the Becket Fund, the Department of Homeland Security last December issued Federal Protective Service Directive Number: 15.9.3.1 creating a procedure to allow religious items through screening at federal buildings, even though they would otherwise be banned. This has particularly become an issue with Sikh kirpans. The new policy was apparently not made public by the government until a few days ago. It provides in part:
All of this occurred as yesterday the 5th Circuit heard oral arguments (recording of full arguments) in Tagore v. United States, a federal lawsuit by a former Internal Revenue Service employee who was fired after she insisted on wearing her kirpan in a Houston federal office building. (See prior posting.) [Thanks to Eric Rassbach for the lead.]
Some items that are otherwise prohibited from a particular Federal facility may have some other legitimate and lawful purpose or use in a Federal facility, including as accommodations for civil rights and civil liberties under Federal laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.One of the attachments to the FPS Directive is a Training Document titled Accommodating Sikh Articles of Faith.
All of this occurred as yesterday the 5th Circuit heard oral arguments (recording of full arguments) in Tagore v. United States, a federal lawsuit by a former Internal Revenue Service employee who was fired after she insisted on wearing her kirpan in a Houston federal office building. (See prior posting.) [Thanks to Eric Rassbach for the lead.]
In China, Christian Activist Sues Local Police After Detention For Preaching In Park
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According to yesterday's London Daily Telegraph, in China, Christian "house church" activist Cao Nan has filed a lawsuit against the police in the city of Shenzhen to challenge the police decision to detain him for 12 days for meeting with other Christians to preach and sing hymns in Shenzhen's Lizhi Park. Police charged Cao with "falsely using the name of Christianity to harm social order." Cao hopes to encourage others to speak out against legal persecution and to vindicate his actions through legal means.
Teacher's Pregnancy Discrimination Claim Against Catholic School Must Go To Jury
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In Dias v. Archdiocese of Cincinnati, (SD OH, Jan.30, 2013), a former technology coordinator at two Catholic Archdiocese schools sued under Title VII claiming pregnancy discrimination after she was fired for being pregnant and unmarried, and for becoming pregnant through artificial insemination. The court held that the suit was not barred by the ministerial exception doctrine since, as a non-Catholic who was not permitted to teach Catholic doctrine, plaintiff could not be considered a minister of the Catholic faith. The Archdiocese claimed it relied on the morals clause in the teacher's contract in dismissing her. The court concluded that it is up to a jury to determine the real reason for plaintiff's dismissal. If it was a ban against premarital sex-- as opposed to a dismissal for being pregnant-- that would be permissible under Title VII, but only if the policy is enforced against men equally with women. The court, however, held that plaintiff could not sue for breach of contract because she knew she was in violations of its morals clause by hiding a long-term homosexual relationship from her employer. Courthouse News Service reports on the decision.
6 Şubat 2013 Çarşamba
Got 99 Problems – Owning an Assault Rifle Isn’t One
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As it has been presented, the Obama Administration has indicated that he is ready for serious gun reform. He has pledged to put his “full weight” behind a legislative package for containing gun violence offered by Senator Dianne Feinstein. The bill aims to “stop the sale, transfer, importation and manufacturing of military-style assault weapons and high capacity ammunition feeding devises.” It will ban 120 specifically named weapons, including handguns and shotguns, and strengthen the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004.
Now I am against violence of any form, but I don’t see why an assault rifle should be the focus of his political venom- guns do not kill people, people do. To focus on the tool misses the problem.
I have owned several SKS since 1990. If you don’t know what an SKS, see the image in this post of me on the book cover of my last book. No it is not a prop is is real and one of several. I like it because it fires the 7.62 x 39 (AK47/SKS) slug. Now for most this is an assult rifle, for me it’s just a rifle.
Some ask why I want or need an assault rifle like an SKS? My answer is based on two things: the second amendment and prospects of Tyranny. The second amendment says “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed” (keyword being regulated not maintained). There was no standing militia in the colonies. In fact they did not get together until 1774 (the Coercive Acts) when the British implemented gun control measures via an import ban on firearms and gunpowder;” the 1774-75 confiscations of firearms and gunpowder; and the use of violence to effectuate the confiscations. History is complete with examples of gun control and the results. Whether in Turkey where in 1911 when1 .5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were exterminated between 1915 and 1917, or even in modern times when in 1964, Guatemala established gun control allowing the government to kill 100,000 Mayan Indians between - From 1964 to 1981. I won’t even mention Nazi Germany, who killed 13 million weaponless Jews, gypsies, and homosexuals after established gun control in 1938.
The aforementioned represents Tyranny which refers to the arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power and/or the despotic abuse of authority or oppressive or unjustly severe government on the part of any ruler. Fact is, according to the FBI homicide data, hammers, clubs and knives are responsible for more homicides than rifles In fact; the FBI concluded that rifles of all types are the least-used guns when crimes are committed. Not to mention that most firearm murders (about11,400), are gang related, how many would you guess had legally purchased or registered weapons?
Now many would suggest that tyranny on behalf of the US government with it’s first black President is outrageous: maybe or maybe not but looking at the facts sughgest that anything is possible. Take the National Weather Service, who like the Department of Homeland Security in securing large quantities of ammo. Back in March,Homeland Security purchased 450 million rounds of .40-caliber hollow point bullets that are designed to expand upon entry and cause maximum organ damage. The NWS ordered 46,000 rounds of hollow point bullets and I don’t think they are for predicting tornadoes. Then there was the solicitation posted by the the Social Security Administration for for contractors to supply 174,000 rounds of “.357 Sig 125 grain bonded jacketed hollow point pistol ammunition.”
The point is technology, if there is tyranny, then what good is a handgun against weaponized drones, Tanks and body armor? None. But I can rest assured that the 7.62 of the SKS can go through all and that makes me comfortable for I have 99 problems – owning an assault rifle isn’t one of them. For the fact of the matter is, when only the military and police have guns, it is called a police state.
As it has been presented, the Obama Administration has indicated that he is ready for serious gun reform. He has pledged to put his “full weight” behind a legislative package for containing gun violence offered by Senator Dianne Feinstein. The bill aims to “stop the sale, transfer, importation and manufacturing of military-style assault weapons and high capacity ammunition feeding devises.” It will ban 120 specifically named weapons, including handguns and shotguns, and strengthen the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004.Now I am against violence of any form, but I don’t see why an assault rifle should be the focus of his political venom- guns do not kill people, people do. To focus on the tool misses the problem.
I have owned several SKS since 1990. If you don’t know what an SKS, see the image in this post of me on the book cover of my last book. No it is not a prop is is real and one of several. I like it because it fires the 7.62 x 39 (AK47/SKS) slug. Now for most this is an assult rifle, for me it’s just a rifle.
Some ask why I want or need an assault rifle like an SKS? My answer is based on two things: the second amendment and prospects of Tyranny. The second amendment says “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed” (keyword being regulated not maintained). There was no standing militia in the colonies. In fact they did not get together until 1774 (the Coercive Acts) when the British implemented gun control measures via an import ban on firearms and gunpowder;” the 1774-75 confiscations of firearms and gunpowder; and the use of violence to effectuate the confiscations. History is complete with examples of gun control and the results. Whether in Turkey where in 1911 when1 .5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were exterminated between 1915 and 1917, or even in modern times when in 1964, Guatemala established gun control allowing the government to kill 100,000 Mayan Indians between - From 1964 to 1981. I won’t even mention Nazi Germany, who killed 13 million weaponless Jews, gypsies, and homosexuals after established gun control in 1938.
The aforementioned represents Tyranny which refers to the arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power and/or the despotic abuse of authority or oppressive or unjustly severe government on the part of any ruler. Fact is, according to the FBI homicide data, hammers, clubs and knives are responsible for more homicides than rifles In fact; the FBI concluded that rifles of all types are the least-used guns when crimes are committed. Not to mention that most firearm murders (about11,400), are gang related, how many would you guess had legally purchased or registered weapons?
Now many would suggest that tyranny on behalf of the US government with it’s first black President is outrageous: maybe or maybe not but looking at the facts sughgest that anything is possible. Take the National Weather Service, who like the Department of Homeland Security in securing large quantities of ammo. Back in March,Homeland Security purchased 450 million rounds of .40-caliber hollow point bullets that are designed to expand upon entry and cause maximum organ damage. The NWS ordered 46,000 rounds of hollow point bullets and I don’t think they are for predicting tornadoes. Then there was the solicitation posted by the the Social Security Administration for for contractors to supply 174,000 rounds of “.357 Sig 125 grain bonded jacketed hollow point pistol ammunition.”
The point is technology, if there is tyranny, then what good is a handgun against weaponized drones, Tanks and body armor? None. But I can rest assured that the 7.62 of the SKS can go through all and that makes me comfortable for I have 99 problems – owning an assault rifle isn’t one of them. For the fact of the matter is, when only the military and police have guns, it is called a police state.
Obama and Rice Only Black Global Leaders against Palestine Statehood
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Obama and Rice Only Black Global Leaders to Vote against Palestine StatehoodOver the past four years, the Obama Administration in concert with his present U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice have been speaking of the importance and the need for America and his administration to show world leadership on the importance of democracy to flourish around the globe. Both have spoken vehemently on the importance of supporting democracy in Syria, Libya and Egypt among other nations hit by the Arab protest earlier this year. However, the word democracy is never used by the world’s leading Black global leaders with respect to Palestine.
Case in point, the overwhelming U.N. vote to elevate the status of Palestine at the world body saw the United States via Ambassador Rice on the request of President Obama, vote against the resolution.
Moreover, it showed how the Administration’s policy in the Middle East outs of touch with the rest of the globe.Canada, Panama, the Czech Republic and four tiny Pacific island states were the only ones in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly siding with the U.S. against the Palestinian Authority’s request for nonmember observer state status in a losing effort resulting in a 138-9 vote, with 41 abstentions in support of the measure. France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Turkey were among the U.S. allies voting in support of the resolution.The blatant hypocrisy of this vote on behalf of the United States was made even more political when Ambassador Rice indicated that they were against the motion because it would disrupt the peace process (albeit Obama has not had any success nor made any effort to negotiate a serious peace between Israel and the Palestinians). The issue of Palestinian statehood and self determination has been festering for 65 years regarding mostly territory and sovereignty.
However, it should not be surprising, given the Obama administration sides with Israel as US foreign policy in the region has done historically, making no real effort t support a two state solution. Not to mention the Israeli government can do what it pleases to violate civil rights and the Obama Administration will look away. To date the Obama Administration and Ambassador Rice have yet to speak against Israel’s treatment of African Immigrants and refugees – burning and closing their stores, rounding them up like Apartied South Africa and holding them in detention centers as Hilter once did the Jews.
Speaking of Africans, Prime Minister Be
njamin Netanyahu suggest that African immigrants threaten the Jewish character of Israel and that all Blacks will on arrival be placed immediately in the many detention centers and containment camps to house tens of thousands. One opinion poll showed 52 percent of Israelis agree that the Africans are "a cancer".
Obama and Rice will never speak out against Israel although not doing so shows their selective views on democracy, especially as the only two major world leaders not to side by Palestinian statehood and self-determination. In many respects, it as if they support Apartied over the rights and liberties of the people.
Case in point, the overwhelming U.N. vote to elevate the status of Palestine at the world body saw the United States via Ambassador Rice on the request of President Obama, vote against the resolution.
Moreover, it showed how the Administration’s policy in the Middle East outs of touch with the rest of the globe.Canada, Panama, the Czech Republic and four tiny Pacific island states were the only ones in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly siding with the U.S. against the Palestinian Authority’s request for nonmember observer state status in a losing effort resulting in a 138-9 vote, with 41 abstentions in support of the measure. France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Turkey were among the U.S. allies voting in support of the resolution.The blatant hypocrisy of this vote on behalf of the United States was made even more political when Ambassador Rice indicated that they were against the motion because it would disrupt the peace process (albeit Obama has not had any success nor made any effort to negotiate a serious peace between Israel and the Palestinians). The issue of Palestinian statehood and self determination has been festering for 65 years regarding mostly territory and sovereignty.
However, it should not be surprising, given the Obama administration sides with Israel as US foreign policy in the region has done historically, making no real effort t support a two state solution. Not to mention the Israeli government can do what it pleases to violate civil rights and the Obama Administration will look away. To date the Obama Administration and Ambassador Rice have yet to speak against Israel’s treatment of African Immigrants and refugees – burning and closing their stores, rounding them up like Apartied South Africa and holding them in detention centers as Hilter once did the Jews.
Speaking of Africans, Prime Minister Be
njamin Netanyahu suggest that African immigrants threaten the Jewish character of Israel and that all Blacks will on arrival be placed immediately in the many detention centers and containment camps to house tens of thousands. One opinion poll showed 52 percent of Israelis agree that the Africans are "a cancer".Obama and Rice will never speak out against Israel although not doing so shows their selective views on democracy, especially as the only two major world leaders not to side by Palestinian statehood and self-determination. In many respects, it as if they support Apartied over the rights and liberties of the people.
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